Overview

Children
reach developmental milestones at their own pace. Minor, temporary delays are
usually no cause for alarm, but an ongoing delay or multiple delays in reaching
milestones can lead to issues later in life. Delay in reaching language,
thinking, and motor skills milestones is called developmental
delay.

Developmental
delay may be caused by a variety of factors, including heredity,
problems with pregnancy, and premature
birth. The cause is not always known. If you suspect your child
has developmental delay, speak with your pediatrician. Developmental delay
sometimes indicates an underlying condition that only doctors can diagnosis.
Early intervention will help your child's progress and development into
adulthood.

Fine and gross motor skill
delay

Fine motor skills include small movements like holding a toy
or using a crayon. Gross motor skills require
larger movements, like jumping, climbing stairs, or throwing a ball.

Children
progress at different rates, but most children can lift their head by 3 months
old, sit up by 6 months, and walk well before their 2nd birthday. By age 5,
most children can throw a ball overhand and ride a tricycle.

Exhibiting
some of the following symptoms can mean that your child has delays in
developing some fine or gross motor functions:

floppy or loose trunk and limbs

stiff arms and legs

limited movement in arms and legs

can’t sit without support by 9 months old

involuntary reflexes have dominance over
voluntary movements

can’t bear weight on legs and stand up by
about 1 year old

Falling
outside the normal range is not always cause for concern, but if your child is
unable to perform tasks within the expected time frame, speak to your doctor.

The language
learning process begins when an infant communicates hunger by crying. By 6
months old, most infants can recognize the sounds of basic language. At 12 to 15
months old, infants should be able to say a few simple words, even if they aren’t
clear. Most toddlers can understand a few words by the time they are 18 months
old. When they reach the age of 3, most children can speak in brief sentences.

Speech and
language delay are not the same. Speaking requires the muscle coordination of
the vocal tract, tongue, lips, and jaw to make sounds. Speech delay is when a
child stutters or has difficulty producing sounds the correct way. A disorder
that makes it hard to put syllables together to form words is called apraxia
of speech.

A language
disorder occurs when children have difficulty understanding what other people
say, and can’t express their own thoughts. Language includes speaking,
gesturing, signing, and writing.

Poor hearing
can cause speech and language delay, so your doctor will usually include a
hearing test during diagnosis. Children with speech and language delay are
often referred to a speech-language pathologist. Early intervention can be a
big help.

Autism spectrum disorders

Autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can impair your
child’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Classic autism usually
includes language delay and intellectual disabilities. Symptoms are sometimes
obvious early on, but may not be noticed until a child reaches 2 or 3 years of
age.

Signs and
symptoms of autism vary, but usually include delayed speech and language skills
and difficulty communicating and interacting with others. Each child will have
a unique pattern of behavior with differing levels of severity. Some symptoms
include:

failure to respond to their name

resistance to cuddling or playing with others

lack of facial expression

doesn’t speak or has difficulty speaking,
carrying on a conversation, or remembering words and sentences

performs repetitive movements

develops specific routines

coordination problems

There is
currently no cure for autism but early intervention and education can help your
child progress more fully.

Causes and risk factors of developmental delay

According to
the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
about 15 percent of children between the ages of 3 and 17 have one or more
developmental disability. Most developmental disabilities occur before a child
is born but some can occur after birth due to infection, injury, or other
factors.

Causes of
developmental delay can be difficult to pinpoint and a variety of things can
contribute to it. Some conditions are genetic in origin, such as Down syndrome.
Infection or other problems during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as
premature birth, can also cause developmental delay.

Developmental
delay can also be a symptom of other underlying medical conditions, including:

autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)

cerebral palsy

fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Landau-Kleffner syndrome

myopathies, including muscular
dystrophies

genetic disorders, such as Down
syndrome and fragile X syndrome

If you suspect your child is developmentally delayed

Remember
that children develop at different rates. However, if you think your child is
developmentally delayed, talk to your doctor. If your school-age child is
diagnosed with developmental delay, you may be eligible for special services. Specialized
services vary according to need and location.

Check with
your physician and your school district to find out what services are
available. Specialized education, especially when started early, can help your
child progress and achieve more in school.

Treatments
for developmental delays vary according to the specific delay. Some treatments
include physical therapy for help in motor skill delays, and behavioral and
educational therapy for help with ASD and other delays.

In other
cases, medications may be prescribed. An evaluation and diagnosis from your
pediatrician is crucial to come up with a treatment plan specially designed for
your child.

Outlook

Many genetic
and environmental factors figure into a child’s development and can cause
delays in their development. Even a healthy pregnancy and proper care during
and after pregnancy can lead to developmental delays in children.

Although
causes of delays can be hard to pinpoint, there are many treatments and support
available to manage developmental delays. Be sure to speak to your doctor if
you see your child exhibiting symptoms of developmental delays.

The sooner
you can diagnose a delay, the better it will be for your child’s development
into adulthood.